Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Book Review: The Snake and the Salamander

The Snake and the Salamander: Reptiles and Amphibians
from Maine to Virginia

Alvin Breisch

Illustrations by Matt Patterson

Johns Hopkins University Press 2017

Let’s face it: Reptiles and amphibians aren’t at the top of
most people’s favorite animals list. Often, says author Alvin Breisch, they’re
“treated as second-class citizens.” But Breisch’s new book The Snake and the
Salamander could go a long way toward changing that. With engaging,
enlightening text, Breisch connects us to the world of “herps”—snakes, turtles,
salamanders, lizards, and frogs.

The Snake and the Salamander is part art book, part
natural history, part plea for conservation, and is written for readers of any
age. Each animal’s page lists common and scientific names, size, and status as
endangered or threatened. But if you’re looking for a field guide, this isn’t
it. Instead of offering a structured, dry list of facts, Breisch creates a
portrait of each animal, exploring aspects of behavior or biology that he
considers important. Why is the eastern ratsnake such a good climber? Can a
softshell turtle really run 15 miles an hour? Is the American bullfrog an
invasive species? How did the eastern fence lizard move to Staten Island? Did
you know that the northern leopard frog is the state amphibian of Vermont?

Breisch offers 83 portraits of reptile and amphibian species
found in 13 states in the Northeast, from Maine to Virginia. Organized by
habitat into nine sections, the book shows us herps in their environments, from
Dry Pine Woodlands to Bogs to Wicked Big Puddles—the name for seasonal
wetlands, like the vernal pool at VINS. Breisch explains how species have been
affected by deforestation and recovery in New England. And he defines
scientific concepts in relation to specific animals: How do salamanders and
skinks differ? What’s a rattlesnake’s rattle made of? How exactly does a
constrictor kill its prey?

Breisch draws on science, history, and popular culture, and
offers snippets of his own encounters with herps. He adds plenty of information
on biology, genetics, breeding, behavior, and diet. We learn terms like
ovoviviparous, fossorial, allopatric, diploids and triploids. Through a
portrait of the carpenter frog, we learn about the variety of frog calls and
what they communicate. And we discover that the smooth greensnake isn’t even
green at all, but a mix of yellow and blue pigments.

Each animal portrait offers insights ranging from the
practical—Why is it so hard to tell exactly where those spring peeper calls
are coming from?—to the scientific—What’s an obligate species?—to
the entertaining—Why doesn’t Linus like queensnakes? We learn that the
timber rattlesnake had such a toxic, terrifying reputation that it was chosen
to adorn the “Don’t tread on me!” flag during the Revolutionary War. We also
learn about the snake’s behavior, breeding, coloration, and history with Native
Americans and European settlers.

Matt Patterson’s original color illustrations partner
beautifully with the informative text. While photos in a field guide capture
one individual—that you might expect to see in the wild, but probably
won’t—Patterson’s illustrations are composites, based on many photographs. They
show habitat, size, coloration, and reproduction: an eastern box turtle next to
a strawberry plant; a red cornsnake swallowing a mouse; a group of adult and
young broad-headed skinks; a northern dusky salamander with eggs; male and
female painted turtles.

The Snake and the Salamander is full of engaging,
fascinating facts presented in the context of habitat, science, and history.
You won’t learn everything there is to know about these often misunderstood
animals. And you won’t see maps of exactly where to find each species. But
getting to know hellbenders and mudpuppies is a great start. And that’s one
major benefit of this book: it inspires people to fall in love with reptiles
and amphibians, to learn about how and where they live—and to protect them.

Environmentalists know that when people get excited about a
single species—say, a Siberian tiger or California condor or blue whale—they want
to save that animal’s habitat. During the past 30 years, as we’ve learned more
about reptiles and amphibians, their reputation has improved. But there’s a
long way to go. By making herps come alive, The Snake and the Salamander
encourages us to protect these extraordinary animals.

About the Author and Illustrator

Alvin R. Breisch, a collaborator with the Roosevelt Wild
Life Station, was amphibian and reptile specialist and director of the
Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project for the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation until he retired in 2009. He coauthored The Amphibians and
Reptiles of New York State: Identification, Natural History, and Conservation.
Matt Patterson illustrated Freshwater Fish of the Northeast, which won
the 2010 National Outdoor Book Award in the category of Design and Artistic
Merit.